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Huari
Name: Huari Habitat: Huari inhabit temperate to tropical forests, preferring locations with higher humidity. Their skin is sensitive to drying and sunburn, so they typically avoid traveling in open spaces such as deserts and prairies for extended periods of time. Because of their lack of fur, they also fair poorly in colder environments. Range: Usearous, Eltica (Farreach Basin, possibly Old Sebrow Forest) and other islands. Size: 10-15 feet at the shoulder, occasionally up to 20 feet (larger sizes were more common on Usearous). Build: Huari have a well muscled, athletic build, with long, stocky limbs and a thick neck. This powerful design allows them to plow through the thick brush that makes up their preferred habitat, while retaining superb agility and flexibility to navigate the dense jungles. Their heads are long and slightly tapered towards the end, vaguely resembling a canine’s in design. The similarities stop there though, as huari feature a simple, slitted nostril rather than a distinctive nose. They also lack external ears, instead having internal ears with little more than an opening on either side of their head, akin to birds and seals. And instead of fur, huari are entirely hairless. Lacking even feathers and scales, these creatures have thick skin to protect them from the elements. From the base of their skull to the tip of their tail are a row of ‘spines’ ranging between three to five foot in height. Made of the same material as the membranes of dragon wings, these thin spines are flexible and rounded at the tips. Their prehensile tails account for roughly half their length. Unique to the huari are the pair of sensory organs that sprout from either side of their head, just before their ears. In appearance, these long appendages look like thick, fleshy antenna, and can grow between ten to eighteen feet in length. Though sometimes mistaken for exceptionally long ears, given their position on the head, these prehensile organs are filled with nerves and are highly sensitive. The huari use them to navigate and interact with their environment and other huari. Another distinctive facet of these creatures is the makeup of their claws and teeth. Made mostly out of keratin and dentine respectively, a high amount of metal incorporated into their structure makes them exceptionally strong. When pair with their impressive strength and large size, these weapons make the huari a dangerous foe even for dragons. Color: The huari's skin seems to shine when exposed to light, almost as if it is moist, due to the smooth, glossy texture of it. Their base color is dark blue, appearing nearly black. This gives them exceptional camouflage at night and when traveling through the shadows of the forest. An assortment of colorful streaks adorn their heads, legs, paws, tail, and the tips of their appendages, with each huari having their own unique pattern and colors. These streaks are usually represented by warm colors: red, yellow, orange, pink, and yellow-green. 'Cool' colors like blue, green, and purple are seen on occasion, and very uncommonly, gold, silver, white, and black. Albinism has been noted in this species. More rarely, a genetic mutation which reverses their color scheme has also been noted. Amber to gold is the dominant eye color, though they have been seen with a wide range of other colors, and occasional display heterochromia. Their pupils are slit-like, allowing them exception vision at night. This species has unusually colored green blood, ranging from bright, almost neon-green to darker shades depending on the individual. Also of note is their saliva, which is a bright, florescent blue. Toxicity: Huari posses modified venom glands that excrete toxin with their saliva. Once this enters the bloodstream, it has been known to kill prey in under an hour's time. Diet & Hunting: Primarily carnivorous. These highly intelligent creatures hunt cooperatively to bring down large prey, including dragons. Because of their size and energy needs, mature huari rarely go after animals smaller than birds and mice, preferring instead to take on big game when available. And although they need to eat frequently to keep up their strength, huari can go as long as two weeks without a meal before starvation begins to severely weaken them. When hunting, huari utilize a diverse and flexible array of hunting tactics, depending on the prey they are stalking. On Usearous, they are known to distinguish between different broods based on color, allowing them to remember and plan accordingly for the type of magic each dragon possess. On Eltica, these keen intellect has allowed them to adapt the arrival of humans and their weapons. Behavior: At their core, huari are highly intelligent, social animals. They live in structured packs that are led by an alpha male who guides the group and makes the daily decisions on where to go and when to hunt. Within each group are a number of related and unrelated huari who work together to protect their members and keep their clan safe. Huari tend to mate for life, with multiple mated pairs living in a single pack. They also display a unique level of altruism when it comes to their own species, and have been observed coming to the aid of unrelated huari in distress, even if that individual is not a part of their social group. There have been no documented cases of huari being tamed by humans.